For the first time, NASA's Perseverance rover has detected tiny, glowing crystals on Mars that bear a resemblance to rubies. These minuscule grains were discovered embedded within pebbles located outside the rim of Jezero Crater.

Five Years of Martian Exploration Yields Gemstone Discovery

The four-wheeled robot has spent the last five years traversing the Martian surface, documenting unusual features such as popcorn-textured rocks. Now, an international research team has announced the finding of what appears to be precious stones hidden inside Martian pebbles.

Corundum Identified Through Laser Analysis

The discovered gem grains are composed of corundum, a crystalline material known on Earth as either ruby or sapphire. These findings were recently presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in Texas this month.

The discovery suggests that Mars's desert-like terrain might harbor other valuable minerals. Perseverance was exploring the rim of Jezero Crater, a vast 28-mile-wide impact zone that scientists believe may have once held a deep lake.

SuperCam Reveals Unexpected Chemical Signatures

Near the crater’s rocky perimeter, the rover encountered small, pale-colored pebbles that seemed out of place. Researchers theorize these stones might have been transported by geological events or meteorite impacts.

Scientists utilized the rover’s SuperCam instrument, employing lasers to blast the rocks and determine their chemical makeup. Perseverance’s subsequent analysis revealed an unexpected result: three separate samples displayed signatures consistent with the mineral corundum.

Fluorescence Confirms Chromium Presence

When the laser energized the minerals, they emitted optical radiation if luminescent elements were present. Indeed, the laser triggered a luminescent light, confirming the presence of chromium-bearing corundum.

Both sapphires and rubies are gem varieties of corundum, sharing the same structure and chemical composition. The difference lies in trace elements: chromium imparts the red color to rubies, while iron and titanium color sapphires.

The pebbles found on Mars contained trace elements of chromium, aligning them more closely with rubies, according to the recent research.

Origin of Martian Rubies Remains a Mystery

On Earth, rubies typically form deep within the planet's crust under extreme heat and pressure. While Mars has experienced past tectonic activity, it was likely insufficient to generate these gems.

Researchers hypothesize that meteorite impacts on Mars are the most probable cause for the presence of these corundum grains. However, the team remains uncertain if Perseverance has definitively found Martian rubies or another form of corundum.

The gems are extremely small, measuring only about 0.008 inches each. This minute size makes it challenging for the team to ascertain their precise chemical makeup. Regardless of their exact classification, these tiny, fluorescent gems qualify as another strange and interesting finding on the Red Planet.